1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to apparatus for a shoe guard mat, specifically a mat adapted to be placed on the floor of an automobile or other vehicle, regardless of whether the floor is bare, carpeted or covered with carpeted matting located thereon, to protect the shoes of the vehicle operator from abrasion.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A driver's shoes often become abraded by repeated contact, over time, with abrasive objects (such as small stones, small pieces or glass and/or metal and the like) that accumulate on the floor of a vehicle and have become embedded within the floor and particularly within carpeting or carpeted matting located on the driver's side of a vehicle, such as an automobile.
Specifically, to provide increased comfort, automobiles are generally provided with carpeting located on the entire floor of the vehicle. This carpeting has a sufficiently deep and loose pile to afford comfort to the driver of the automobile and the passengers. Unfortunately, the carpeting generally traps abrasive objects over time. Since people spend a great deal of time in their automobiles, the carpeting has a tendency to wear out by repeated contact with the shoes of the driver and passengers. This problem is particularly acute for the carpeting located under the driver's feet inasmuch as this section of carpeting gets the most wear.
Now, to protect the carpeting, vehicle owners frequently install carpeted mats over the carpeting in those areas of the vehicle that will be underfoot of both the drivers and passengers. Unfortunately, the carpeting used in these carpeted mats is often the same type as that used in the car. While such mats do indeed protect the carpeting in the automobile, these mats have the same tendency to accumulate embedded stones over time that are carried into the car by the underside of the driver's shoes.
Consequently, regardless of whether the automobile has carpeting alone or has carpeted mats located over the carpeting, the heel of the driver's shoe, particularly that on his or her right foot, generally abuts against and pivots on the carpeted mat or carpeting while the heel of this shoe depresses the foot pedals (accelerator or brake pedals) while the car is being driven. As such, the lower sides and rear area on both sides of the driver's right shoe continuously rubs back and forth against the mat or carpeting over time. Because of the abrasive objects embedded within the carpeted mat or carpeting, the lower sides and back portion of the driver's shoe become abraded by continual contact with these abrasive objects. This abrasion is worsened over time since the piling in the carpeting or carpeted matting often flattens as the carpeting and/or carpeted matting becomes worn or from the weather elements such as rain or snow. In any event, this abrasion removes any shine located on these portions of the driver's right shoe, thereby necessitating repeated polishing of the driver's shoes. In addition, if the abrasion becomes severe, it degrades the appearance of the right shoe to the point at which the driver must replace both shoes. Since this abrasion shortens the useful life of the shoes, this increases the amount of money the driver must spend for shoes. This abrasion may also exist on the left shoe for those drivers that use their left foot to operate a clutch pedal in a car having a manual transmission.
A solution currently exists in the art to remedy this problem; however, this solution possesses various drawbacks. In particular, this solution involves slipping a protective member, such as a suitably shaped piece of plastic, over the rear portion of each of the driver's shoes. Unfortunately, while this solution is effective at preventing abrasion, this solution requires effort on the part of the driver both to install and remove the protective members from both of his or her shoes. As such, the driver will often neglect to install these members on the shoes in his or her haste to get into the automobile and drive away. Therefore, it more likely than not that a driver will cease using these protective members shortly after they have been obtained. Moreover, once these protective members are slipped onto the shoes, they are quite likely to diminish the appearance of the shoes and, hence, for that reason, may not be used again by the driver.
Another solution often seen in the art involves positioning a small swatch of carpet on either the carpeting or the carpeted matting, if the vehicle is so equipped, and located directly under the driver's right and/or left foot. Unfortunately, this carpet is often of a type that still retains embedded abrasive objects and hence causes abrasion of the shoes, although perhaps at a lesser rate than if this carpet were not to be used.
Thus, a need exists in the art for apparatus that could be placed on the floor of an automobile or other vehicle to protect both the right and left shoes of the driver of the vehicle from abrasion. Once positioned, this apparatus would advantageously not require any additional effort on the part of the driver nor would it diminish the appearance of the driver's shoes in any way.